期刊名称：International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning
印刷版ISSN：1931-4744
出版年度：2009
卷号：03
期号：01
出版社：Georgia Southern University
摘要：We have investigated the grasp of some of the basic concepts of motion by
students taking the introductory physics course in Mechanics at United Arab
Emirates University (UAEU). We have developed a short research-based
multiple-choice test where we were able to extract some information about the
state of knowledge of the students. In general, the students were found to have
poor understanding. We have analyzed the results of the test using a
mathematical function, the concentration factor, which may expose some
particularly naïve models of basic physics concepts among students and serve to
identify particular patterns in the students' thinking. Based on the outcomes
and on our own experience, we have pinpointed some possible factors for the
students’ low performance. We have also recommended several methods which might
enhance the students’ understanding of the basic physics concepts.
